Ever since word got out that ABC had tapped Anthony Bourdain and Nigella Lawson for its new show, The Taste, there’s been plenty of speculation about what type of program the pair would come up with. As far as food-world personalities go, they are pretty well-loved—Bourdain for his refreshing, no-punches-pulled perspective, and Lawson for her show-stealing assets and cheeky approach to domestic queendom.
Between the two you’d think they’d come up with something a little more thrilling than Top Chef meets American Idol, but based on the first preview clips—including the one below—it would appear that The Taste is pretty much just another cooking competition.
As the network promos tell us over and over again, there are two “twists” on the usual formula:
- Both amateurs and professionals go head to head (but all competitors are referred to as “kitchenistas”).
- The food is tasted blind to avoid bias, and everyone is given only one bite to make a judgment. (So it is basically like the worst version of a chef’s table ever.)
It also looks like all the judging is done on a stage, with the judges—Bourdain and Lawson, plus Ludo Lefebvre and Brian Malarkey—lined up in a style similar to the American Idol crew. We’re guessing Bourdain will take on the Simon Cowell role and tell everyone how much they suck, while Lawson will be the slightly sexual den mother who comforts them in her bosom after the tongue lashing.
We sincerely hope it’s not actually that boring, but only time will tell. The show premieres January 22 on ABC.
[via Eater]